Cystitis is a disease that affects the excretory system of the female or male organism. This pathology literally means an inflammatory process in the bladder, specifically in its wall. Many people wonder if men have cystitis, since this pathology is more characteristic of women. However, men are also susceptible to this disease.
The difference between male and female cystitis is not only in the frequency of the lesion, but also in the causes of its occurrence. If in women the pathology often develops initially, then in men the inflammatory process occurs as a complication of some other disease.
Pathogens that cause cystitis in men and women can be different. Most often, the inflammation is caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, but instead, Staphylococcus, Proteus and various protozoa, for example Trichomonas, can settle on the wall of the bladder. A separate class consists of pathogens of sexually transmitted infections, the complications of which can be cystitis.
Etiology
The causes of cystitis symptoms in women are:
- Any untreated (or untimely detected) diseases of the genitourinary system often have an inflammatory nature (both specific, for example venereal, and non-specific);
- Chronic pathologies of any of the body systems (especially in the acute stage);
- Hypothermia (not so much general as local in the area of the genitals and pelvic organs, for example, sitting on cold concrete);
- Occupations requiring prolonged sitting (office positions and others);
- Chronic stool disorders (constipation);
- Improper personal hygiene of the genitals;
- Experiments in sexual life (which means changing anal contact to vaginal contact without prior change of condom or water procedures on the part of the partner);
- Tight and synthetic underwear, as well as jeans, tights, pants;
- Insufficient number of urinations per day (at least 5 times normal);
- Failure to observe personal hygiene during menstruation is one of the common causes of cystitis in women;
- Immunodeficiency conditions of any genesis (both primary immunodeficiencies and reduced immunity caused by stress, excessive physical exertion).
Unlike women in the male body, proper observance of the rules of intimate hygiene is often a sufficient measure to prevent inflammation. And even in this case, cystitis can appear as a complication of advanced urethritis. However, there are a number of factors that provoke the pathology.
Causes of cystitis symptoms in men:
- Inflammatory processes (acute and chronic) in the prostate gland, urethra, testicles and its appendages;
- Anomalies of the anatomical structure of the urethra (for example, strictures), which cause stagnation of urine;
- Urolithiasis or entry of foreign bodies into the urinary system;
- The presence of venereal inflammatory pathologies (gonorrhea is especially complicated by cystitis);
- Pyelonephritis or tuberculosis of the kidneys (the damage is due to the descending path of the infection);
- Inflammatory processes in the body of a man (rare);
- Injuries to the organs of the excretory system or directly to the bladder;
- Incorrectly performed diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations on the organs of the genitourinary system;
- Diabetes is a dangerous predisposing factor.
Symptoms
Despite the etiological differences in the development of the inflammatory process, the clinical picture of the disease in both sexes does not differ. Signs of cystitis in men and women:
- Frequent (and often false) urge to urinate;
- Pain during urination (pain is burning or in the form of spasms, intense, short, characterized by an increase in amplitude towards the end of urination);
- Constant pain (in women in the lower abdomen, and in men in the penis or pubis);
- Decrease in the amount of urine during a single urination;
- Subfebrile temperature and general signs of the inflammatory process (weakness, fatigue, pallor, dizziness) are characteristic of bacterial cystitis.
Since this pathology is characterized by a chronic form of cystitis, it should be clarified that the clinical picture in such cases will be blurred. All the above symptoms will be expressed only during periods of exacerbation. In remission, patients may experience abdominal or groin pain or frequent urination.
Classification
In addition to the acute and chronic form of the disease, there are also different types of cystitis.
- Bacterial cystitis (or infectious). This form can be specific or non-specific. The disease is caused by infectious agents, mainly bacteria. Specific variants of pathology are sexually transmitted diseases, which can be complicated by symptoms of cystitis in men and women.
- Interstitial cystitis. This form is caused by agents not of an infectious nature, but of a mechanical or chemical nature. In this case, all layers of the bladder are affected until the appearance of perforated ulcers. Factors that can cause disease are injuries, chemicals, physical impacts.
- radiation cystitis. This form of cystitis is distinguished as separate due to the specificity of occurrence. Basically, the type of radiation is considered interstitial, but it does not occur due to accidental exposure to a factor, but during the treatment of oncological diseases. To a greater extent, this applies to the appearance of symptoms of acute or chronic cystitis in men, since their pelvic organs are often exposed to radiation due to prostate cancer.
- Hemorrhagic cystitis. In fact, this form is a complication of ordinary cystitis and is characterized by blood in the urine that comes from the bladder. Impurities can be both microscopic, that is, invisible to the eye, and abundant (hematuria).
Illness during pregnancy
Cystitis in pregnant women in the early and late stages is a serious pathology that requires high-quality treatment. Women are more prone to bladder inflammation than men due to anatomical features, but pregnant women are at risk for a number of additional reasons:
- Reduction of the body's resistance to infectious pathogens;
- Insufficient nutrition of the bladder due to the pressure of a large uterus on the blood vessels that feed it;
- Hormonal changes.
It is congestion and reduced immunity that lead to the development of cystitis during pregnancy. The main characteristic of the inflammatory process in pregnant women is its asymptomatic course, which is not always the case, but still occurs. Therefore, a woman's routine examination should be thorough and aimed at identifying hidden pathologies. Treatment of cystitis during pregnancy is necessary, but difficult, because taking strong antibiotics can adversely affect the fetus.
That is why in this situation they try to limit themselves to local therapy in the form of instillations. If this does not help, then antibiotics are prescribed, which are the least dangerous for the unborn child.
Manifestation after sex
The most common cause of cystitis after intimacy is the anatomical feature of the location of the urethra in the female body. If it is opened on the eve of the vagina, then the infection is greatly simplified. Among the causes of cystitis after sex, cicatricial changes in the tissues after deprivation of virginity in a girl are also distinguished.
Such adhesive formations have a mechanical effect on the urethra and prevent its closure. Hormonal changes also contribute to the fact that women develop cystitis after sex, since the protective properties of all mucous membranes of the body are weakened. Sexual abstinence is a risk factor for cystitis after intercourse, and the longer you don't have sex, the more likely cystitis will appear the next time you have sex.
Diagnosis
The bright clinical picture in acute cystitis is a sufficient indicator for making a diagnosis, for chronic or erased forms of the disease, a number of tests are prescribed. To identify signs of cystitis in women and men, use:
- Clinical blood test (to detect the inflammatory process);
- Urinalysis (to detect leukocytes or microhematuria);
- Bacterial culture of urine (the causative agent is determined and an antibiotic sensitivity test is immediately performed);
- Tests to detect venereal pathology (serological tests, PCR);
- Specific urine tests;
- Cystoscopy (performed as a last resort in ongoing processes).
When the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment for cystitis should be started immediately.
Treatment
The basis of the treatment of this inflammatory disease is antibacterial drugs (if the pathology is caused by an infectious agent). Preparations for cystitis in women and men should be highly sensitive to the pathogen, so a special test is conducted in advance. Yes, its results apply antibacterial tablets for cystitis in women and men with a broad spectrum of action. In addition to drugs for the treatment of cystitis in women, collargol instillations are very effective.
Such therapy is acceptable for pregnant girls when antibiotics cannot be used, and as additional treatment in advanced cases. Herbal preparations are widely used for cystitis in women and men or otherwise herbal remedies. They are used together with antibiotics or if the cystitis is mild and does not require intensive treatment.
Symptomatic drugs for cystitis in men and women are antispasmodics that relieve pain. Or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve pain and also reduce inflammation in the bladder.
To prevent side effects of antibiotics in cystitis in men and especially in women, probiotics are prescribed. In women, the correct microflora of the vagina is important, so taking these drugs is necessary.
If the inflammatory process is caused by some primary pathology, then the basis of how to treat cystitis will be to get rid of this disease. Of particular importance is the treatment of prostate lesions in men and sexually transmitted infections in both sexes. Physiotherapy procedures are used for additional treatment of chronic cystitis in women and men. They are prescribed after getting rid of the burden of the process or during periods of remission.